World famous comedy venue Carolines on Broadway and Punchline Magazine have joined forces to present the Breakout Artist Comedy Series. Each Tuesday, at Carolines in New York City, an emerging stand-up comedy star will headline their own show and prove just why they’ve been quietly building a name for themselves in the national comedy scene.

And since we here at Punchline Magazine are all about exposing the best comedians – well-known or not – we’ll be profiling each comedian taking part in the Carolines series each week. So let’s get to this week’s headliner: Marina Franklin!

Marina Franklin is emerging as one of the hottest comedians in the comedy scene today, with such notable appearances as The Jay Leno Show, Chapelle’s Show, NBC’s Last Comic Standing Season 2, VH1’s Black to the Future, Oxygen’s Girls Behaving Badly, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, Awkward Comedy show, and Showtime at The Apollo. She is a favorite in Comedy Festivals across the world, like Montreal’s Just For Laughs, New York Comedy Festival, Ireland’s Kilkenny Comedy Festival, and Nashville’s Bonnaroo Music Festival. She’s viciously likeable, if there is such a thing

Who do you think are the breakout artists of the next few years?
I personally see a lot of new young talent sprouting throughout the city. I chose to feature them on my show Tuesday. The youngest is a Jermaine Fowler from Washington. I see him week after week honing his craft. Very funny and the audience falls in love with him. He reminds me of a young Eddie Murphy. The other comedienne is a Leah Bonnema, she is a talented raw comedienne that goes uncensored and that makes for the best comedy in politically correct world. I am proud to have both artists on the show.

The new documentary you’re in, The Awkward Kings of Comedy, shows you interviewing four other “Awkward” comedians. What makes a comedian ‘awkward?’ Is it always a disadvantage to be ‘awkward?’
What makes a comedian awkward is most likely his ability to talk about those experiences on stage. Most of the comedians in the awkward comedy show have moments where they were pure nerds or not comfortable in their environment, making them different and weird or awkward. For example, I talk about growing up in a white neighborhood and then moving to a black neighborhood and how I had culture shock within my own culture. The challenges of that make for an awkward individual/comedienne and some fun ass material to go with it.

As an alum of Last Comic Standing, what was it like to live in a house filled with comedians? Recipe for disaster?
The best part of Last Comic Standing was not living in a house filled with comedians. I went all the way to Vegas where they decide which comics make it to the house. First, I was upset that my comedy did not take me that far but when I saw how comics were treating each other I was relieved. I’m not that type of comic personality. I’m not willing to throw another comedian under the bus to get noticed on TV.

What’s next for Marina Franklin? Where will you be in a few years?
What’s next for me is very simple, more comedy. Where? That’s being discussed right now. (Sorry, you’ll have to get the updates from my facebook page www.facebook.com/marinafranklin. I originally got into stand up because I love performing and making people laugh. So, you can see me almost any night in New York City performing. Where will I be in a few years? Really? that question is so loaded I really shouldn’t answer it. But , okay, I’m thinking in a few years I will be in a place where more people will know the comedy styles of Marina Franklin. Shake – A- Dang! Dang!